One of my new French Christmas traditions is to go every December and buy one (or more) small Santon figurines for our nativity scene or "creche". In Marseille, every year from the end of November to the beginning of January, there is a Santon market, where all the local artisans come and display their creations- large, small, clothed, painted, unpainted, (the Santons, not the sellers) small buildings, etc. are available. This year, I went at the beginning of December to the usual spot near the ice skating rink and there was no one! I was quite confused, but then found out that they had moved it to the Canebiere. Alain and I went together last Sunday, and together we decided on what to get. After considering some camels and a few angels, we finally decided on a donkey. We got the lying down donkey because Alain said of the standing-up donkeys "Oh poor donkey, he has to stand up the whole time." So we bought the donkey and brought him home. Next year, I am holding out for a camel.

According to French tradition, you aren't supposed to put the baby Jesus in the scene until December 25th (well, midnight exactly). And the wise men aren't supposed to be there until the 6th of January. Some French will put them far away and then each day move them a little closer. Anyway, I don't care. I am having a gosh darn American nativity with the baby Jesus AND the three wise men. Otherwise, everyone else is just left standing around (or lying, in the case of the donkey) looking silly for a couple of weeks.